IGWG
WHO member-state negotiating body for the Pandemic Agreement; stalled on PABS since its 6th session in May 2026.
Last refreshed: 12 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Six sessions in and PABS still unresolved — what would it actually take for the IGWG to break the deadlock?
Timeline for IGWG
Concluded its resumed 6th session on 1 May 2026 agreeing to extend PABS negotiations to a 7th session in July 2026
Pandemics and Biosecurity: Pandemic Agreement still unsigned after one year- What is the IGWG and what is it trying to negotiate?
- The IGWG (Intergovernmental Working Group) is the WHO member-state body mandated to conclude the PABS annex of the WHO Pandemic Agreement. PABS sets rules for pathogen sample-sharing and equitable distribution of vaccines and therapeutics.Source: WHO
- Why has the IGWG failed to resolve the pandemic treaty after six sessions?
- The core deadlock is between high-income countries preferring voluntary benefit-sharing mechanisms and lower-income countries demanding mandatory dose-sharing and IP waivers as the price of rapid pathogen sample-sharing. Neither bloc has moved substantially.Source: WHO IGWG
- When is the next IGWG session on the WHO Pandemic Agreement?
- The 7th IGWG session is scheduled for 6-17 July 2026. WHA79 (18-23 May 2026) is expected to formally extend the negotiating mandate through mid-2027.Source: WHO
Background
The Intergovernmental Working Group on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (IGWG) is the WHO member-state negotiating body convened to conclude the legally binding Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement. It was established by WHA78 in May 2025 after the pandemic agreement itself was adopted, with a mandate specifically to resolve the PABS annex, which member states were unable to agree before the Agreement's adoption deadline.
The IGWG succeeded the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), which produced the Pandemic Agreement text from 2022 to 2025 but could not close PABS. The IGWG's composition mirrors the INB: all WHO member states participate, with negotiations structured around the African Group, Asian-Pacific bloc, EU and high-income country groupings, and the BRICS-aligned states. The core fault line — mandatory versus voluntary benefit-sharing, and the scope of IP waiver obligations — has not moved substantially between the INB and IGWG phases.
The resumed 6th IGWG session concluded on 1 May 2026 with an agreement to extend negotiations to a 7th session scheduled for 6-17 July 2026. WHA79 (May 2026) is expected to formally authorise that extension and extend the negotiating mandate through mid-2027. No country has publicly identified itself as the blocking party; WHO described the outcome as 'differences will be overcome' without specifics on what mechanism would break the deadlock.
